Well the votes are in and the decision has been made. The vet is coming out this weekend and Kat is going to be gelded. This has been on my mind a lot since back in April when we went to Sonoita for the ADT. It was revisited again in Prescott last month at the last ADT and has been mulled over, discussed, thought about, discussed some more and kicked around long enough.
The pro's of keeping him intact- well he's pretty, well built, has a great mind, was easy to train and his two fillies out in the world both were well put together, have good minds,have great coloring and if his genes are to be passed on, it's their job now. Their owners can make that call. I could breed some nice Welsh/TB crosses with my mare, that the girls could ride and show as hunter ponies or drive as singles or a pair.
The con's- finding stabling for a stallion is a challenge. Not many boarding facilities will take a stallion at all and those that do, may charge more, limit your options and can rightfully kick you out at any time. Many of the schooling shows and also the driving events, state liability reasons for not allowing anyone under the age of 18 to handle or exhibit stallions. Stabling arrangements for him at the driving events gives the organizers a challenge... The screaming, the posturing and the issue of him always being on edge, looking for and at the other horses. He was next to a gelding in the stall in Prescott, yet he couldn't enjoy the outside run on it because he kept challenging the gelding next to him. It wasn't the other pony's fault so Kat was shut in the stall. He isn't currently and hasn't bred anything lately. There's nothing on the horizon of that happening... so why not?
And we all know- good stallions often make GREAT geldings.
2 comments:
Keep us updated on the changes in behavior that you see. I often wonder if the behavior changes immediately or if if takes a while because some of those thoughts, feelings, and actions get ingrained.
I met a couple who owned nothing but stallions, and they commented that they felt stallions were easy to manage. It's the mares that they were afraid of.
sounds like a good plan. Too bad in some ways as he is a super cute and good minded fellow,but way easier for you and as good as he is imagine how much better he will be without the distractions!
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